The Path To Christmas
by Nanaki Lioness
Summary: DeiItaDei, Pathverse. Itachi has a dilemma involving Christmas gifts, and an unlikely solution to solve it.
1. Deidara's Gift Guide 101

Disclaimer: The characters, items, places etc of Naruto are property of Masashi Kishimoto. These objects are used without permission for entertainment only, not for making money. No infringement is intended.

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_**Warning! This fic is set in the same universe as my Path fics! You may need to have read those to understand some of this!  
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_**Alternative Universe DeiItaDei**__- this means it is __**set in our world, not Konoha **__and is about the __**homosexual pairing of Itachi and Deidara.**_

_If you're here because you enjoyed my Path fics, thank you so much! I'm so pleased to actually have this ready for you guys at last :) Please enjoy!_

**The Path to Christmas**

By Nanaki Lioness

**1.**

Christmas meant a lot of things to many people- the chance to see family, celebrate their religion or simply receive presents if one was particularly selfish (or a young child). For all that celebrated it and gave gifts it meant one shared thing that was either loved or despised.

Shopping. Shopping for food or for gifts, both equally stressful and tedious to one particular individual who was attempting to hear himself think over the loud sound of Christmas music in the air and his boyfriend singing loudly along.

"Rocking around the Christmas tree at the Christmas partyyyyyy hop-"

Itachi growled in Deidara's direction in an attempt to get him to just _shut up_, so he could get what he needed done and go home. However Deidara simply gave him a serene smile and carried right on singing. It wasn't that he was a bad singer- rather, that Itachi had been bombarded with Christmas since October and now it was one week away he was beginning to get sick of it.

It didn't help that he had never been a fan of the festive season, since it meant having to socialise with his family. In previous years, it had meant he'd had to visit his parents and stay in his old bedroom to avoid his mother's company and his father's infuriating way of giving him more things to have a complex about. Either that, or he'd be forced into a car and driven halfway across the country on Christmas Eve to visit some other family- he enjoyed that _less_, if possible.

This year was different. Not only was he looking forward to the day itself, minus all the commercial trappings that went with it, but he was eager to actually spend the day with his family with Deidara at his side. However, it didn't make the job of shopping for gifts any easier on his usually everlasting patience.

"Can we stop for a bit?" He asked, putting the CD he'd been looking at back on the shelf and indicating the doors behind him. "I need to get out of here. The atmosphere is driving me insane."

Deidara looked disappointed his singing would be interrupted but let Itachi lead him out of the store, taking them to a cafe and ordering them both cinnamon cake and coffee. It was quiet, with only the soft sound of the radio playing _normal_ music in the background as Itachi sat down and sighed, gladly closing his eyes.

"I take it you aren't a fan of shopping," Deidara pointed out needlessly.

"What tipped you off?" Itachi asked mildly.

Deidara eyed him curiously for a moment before breaking out into a smile. "You've gained a sarcastic sense of humour these last couple of months, you know that?" He remarked. "I would say your irritability, along with the look on your face that suggests you want to murder anything related to Christmas, yeah."

"I've never been a fan," Itachi admitted. "I'm looking forward to it a little more this year. I always struggle buying gifts and this year is no different- plus I have you to think about. I have no idea what would be good."

He'd already decided he would buy something related to art. That was almost a given, but he had no idea _what_. He'd ventured out alone and to the art store in their current shopping centre a week beforehand and felt drastically overwhelmed, fleeing almost as quickly as he'd entered.

"You don't have to buy me anything."

"I know I don't. I want to, though. I have no idea what to get Sasuke or Naruto either, or my parents. Or my friend Kisame, for that matter- he usually stops by around Christmas."

"So you have no idea what to get anyone?"

"Precisely, and it's why this entire thing is stressful," Itachi concluded. "Christmas is next _week_. I'm normally more organised than this."

"So we're here to browse and hope you find something?"

"Yes, but I'm _not_."

"Maybe you're just looking in the wrong places," Deidara shrugged, winking at Itachi and sipping his coffee. "Relax, yeah. I think I have an idea, but I want you to enjoy the quiet first."

Itachi couldn't enjoy it from the moment Deidara said those words, because any plan Deidara had could possibly be a hindrance rather than a help. Regardless he finished the cake and coffee, beckoning to Deidara to follow him back out into the crowded shopping centre.

"So what's your plan?"

"Follow me," Deidara grinned, leading him by the arm through the horde of people towards the art store Itachi had only just been thinking about. Frowning in confusion, Itachi let himself be led inside, wondering what on earth his boyfriend had in mind _this_ time.

"I could paint them all something," Deidara said once they were standing by a selection of canvasses. "Something unique for each of them that they'd want to put on their wall, yeah. What do you think?"

Itachi's eyes widened slightly. "Deidara, you're a genius!" He exclaimed, instantly feeling happier. "That's a wonderful idea!"

There was a tiny voice in the back of his mind reminding him that Deidara's idea of art was rather eccentric, and did he _really_ want to subject his loved ones to that, but he silenced it. Deidara wouldn't do anything too ridiculous if Itachi was going to put his name to it as well.

"It's more a gift from you than me though, right?" He pointed out at that thought, his voice faltering slightly.

"It's a gift from _both_ of us." Deidara shook his head in disagreement. "We're a couple, so what is mine is yours and all that, yeah. You've helped me so much over the last year that this is the least I can do is help you out in return."

"Thank you," Itachi said sincerely. "So why are we here? Don't you have the supplies at home?"

"I do," Deidara nodded in confirmation. "But I'd like to you to pick wall mountable canvasses. Whatever sizes you want, yeah. I'll leave you to that while I look around and admire."

He wandered off, leaving Itachi to look at the requested items with a small smile on his face. Perhaps the shopping wasn't as bad as he'd originally thought- or maybe it was that this shop also had a normal radio on, devoid of festive music to drive him up the wall.

He selected four canvasses in varying sizes- smaller ones for Naruto, Sasuke and Kisame and a larger one for his parents. A quick glance around found Deidara with a set of markers in hand, admiring them just as he said he would.

"More markers?" Itachi said teasingly as he joined his side, but secretly he was attempting to procure hints from his boyfriend. He had rather hoped Deidara would turn to him and tell him something like 'oh yes, these markers are incredible and I conveniently don't own any of them' but instead Deidara put them back on the shelf and gave him a smile, taking the canvasses from him to inspect.

"These are fine," he nodded. "Ready?"

Itachi gladly paid for them, wracking his mind over the markers he'd seen Deidara looking at. If he'd picked them up it was likely he didn't own any- Itachi reasoned that he could check when he got home but Deidara owned enough art equipment that it was everywhere, finding its way into cubby holes and various other hiding places. There was no telling what he owned, especially when attempting to look discretely. That and he hadn't managed to see what they were called.

"Why don't you put these in the car to save us carrying them around?" He suggested, pulling his keys from his pocket and handing them to Deidara.

Deidara gave him a curious glance. "I don't mind carrying them."

Itachi mentally resisted strangling him on the spot. "It'll be awkward, right?"

"If you care so much _you_ put them in the car, yeah," Deidara countered.

"Please?" Itachi sighed, attempting not to seem too obvious. "I'm going to the bathroom, so you may as well do it while I'm gone."

Deidara accepted the keys, still looking sceptical as he finally headed away. Itachi waited for him to turn the corner before jogging back towards the art store, falling through the door and making his way back towards the markers he'd seen his partner admiring.

He picked them up, turning them over in his hands and noting the price tag. He hissed- there was no way Deidara owned these. Even though he _had_ money, Itachi was a little weary of spending three digit number sums on what was essentially (to him anyway) _felt tip pens_.

He took them to the counter and held them up to the clerk, who gave him a smile and a polite hello.

"Is there anything special about these markers?" He asked.

"Copics?" The girl noted, taking them from him. "They're very good."

"Are they worth the price tag?"

The girl chuckled and handed them back. "If you can afford it, I would recommend it."

"If I pay for these now, would I be able to pick them up later?"

"Of course."

Itachi took that as a sign that the markers were meant to be, paying for them and leaving them in the care of the store. He knew he couldn't leave with them- he had nowhere to hide them for a start on his person, and he had to get to Deidara before Deidara went looking for him.

He managed to meet Deidara on his way back from the car, taking his keys back and giving him a smile. "Thanks. What else do we need to do now that's sorted?"

"Wrapping paper."

"The card shop is this way," Itachi sighed, beckoning and heading straight for it. Now he had the gifts covered he couldn't wait to get out of the crowds and go home.

Once inside the card store he relaxed a little, smiling as he inspected the rolls of paper on display. One thing he _did_ enjoy about Christmas shopping was making the gifts he wrapped look perfect. Despite his progress with his perfection complex some things remained, though they were generally harmless things. After much deliberation he picked red tartan paper and matching red bows and ribbons, much to Deidara's delight.

"You use bows and ribbons?"

"Always," Itachi agreed.

"Good," Deidara grinned, slipping an arm around his waist and giving him a sly hug. "That's the artistic way, yeah."

Once they were walking back to the car Itachi inspected his watch, feeling satisfied. They'd arrived only two hours earlier and were already on their way home, _and_ it was only just beginning to get dark. He rated that a success, feeling quite pleased with himself. In the space of thirty minute he had managed to solve all his gift dilemmas, and he wouldn't have managed it without his partner. He chalked it up as yet another reason why his life was now edging on perfect, despite being taught by experience and his therapist that the word 'perfect' was rarely appropriate.

-.-.-

Later that night when sitting staring at the blank canvasses on the living room table, Itachi wasn't sure things were perfect after all. He glanced up at Deidara, sighing and resting his head against his palm.

"I have no idea what you should do," he sighed. "You're the artist- do you have any suggestions?"

"They're your family and friends," Deidara replied. "I have no idea what they'd like, yeah. Why don't you tell me what each person likes? How about your parents?"

Itachi thought hard about that, feeling a little ashamed when he finally shrugged awkwardly. "I've barely had much to do with them in recent years. I don't know."

"Alright... What about your friend Kisame?"

"Anything related to marine life," Itachi replied immediately. "Is that any help?"

Deidara flipped open his sketchbook and began jotting notes, nodding. "It is. Carry on- what about Naruto?"

"Sasuke said he took that fox you won him out of the crane machine home with him because he liked it so much. Apart from that and my brother, I don't really know what else he likes."

"That's fine," Deidara replied. "And Sasuke?"

"No idea," Itachi said immediately. "He's just a normal teenager who does normal teenage things like socialising and studying. He might be my brother but I don't know what he actually likes. Every year I have the same problem with him."

"Leave it with me," Deidara beamed, shutting his sketchbook. "I can draw what I think is appropriate."

"Is that wise?" Itachi asked, weary eyes straying to the kitchen wall where the googly eyed sun was painted.

"I won't do anything ridiculous," Deidara promised. "Honestly! Don't look at me like that, yeah. I know how important it is to you to make the pictures look _normal_."

Itachi had to smile that Deidara sounded positively dismayed at the idea of normality, but was clearly stomaching it for his sake. "Thanks," he replied, reaching across and clutching his hand gently. "Where would I be without you?"

"Stuck trying to be perfect and hating the idea of visiting your family this year," Deidara replied easily with a cheeky grin before letting his boyfriend's hand go, snatching up one of the smaller canvasses. "I have an idea already which I'm going to get to work on, yeah. Don't worry- you can trust me, Itachi!"

He vanished off to fetch his art supplies, throwing Itachi out of the living room once he returned. Itachi stood in the hallway, blinking a few times in confusion before retreating to the bedroom with a sigh. Trust Deidara- it shouldn't be too hard, right?

...Right?

-.-.-

_Author's Notes: This fic! ARGH! THIS FIC! I have rewritten this about three times over the last month before finally settling on what I have here. I've so glad to finally have it on track and in time for Christmas!_

_This is part one of three. The last part will be posted before Christmas Day and the second somewhere between now and then, whenever I get it sorted. Thanks for reading! :)_


	2. Christmas, The Time For Secrets

**2.**

"So let me get this straight. Why, exactly, did I need to come with you to pick up some pens?"

"Because, Sasuke," Itachi sighed. "I had to pretend you wanted my company for your own Christmas shopping. I didn't want Deidara getting suspicious since as far as he's aware I've finished mine."

For the second day running Itachi was back at the shopping centre, though he felt more relaxed this time. Deidara had come to bed at three am and declared one of the canvasses complete already, though he refused to show Itachi until they were all done.

"But you didn't have to actually _bring_ me," Sasuke complained. "I hate Christmas shopping. I order everything online in November, you know that."

"Did you get anything for Deidara?"

Sasuke snorted. "Of course not."

"Do you really mean that, or are you just trying to sound like a jerk?"

Sasuke faltered and looked away. "I didn't really know _what_ to get."

"So we _do_ have a reason to be here," Itachi replied, satisfied. "Maybe you can get him something that goes with the markers I've got? How about Kisame- you know he'll show up at some point, don't you?"

"I completely forgot about Kisame," Sasuke sighed, smacking a hand to his forehead. "Fine, you got me, I have shopping to do."

They ventured into the art shop to pick up the markers, Itachi thankful that they hadn't somehow been lost or destroyed as he collected them from the clerk. Glad they were safe in hand, he went further into the store to find Sasuke. He found him at the stand where he'd originally picked up the Copics, frowning at the price tag for them.

"Did you really spend that much on felt tip pens?"

"They aren't felt tip pens," Itachi replied, even though he agreed. "They're high quality markers, Sasuke."

"They look like felt tips to me. You could have just bought a pack from a stationer's, surely?"

"No Sasuke," Itachi sighed. "Did you find anything?"

"No."

Itachi scanned the shelf, eyes falling on something on one of the lower ones. He knelt down and grabbed it, offering it up to Sasuke. Sasuke took it, eyeing it carefully.

"A case to put them in?" He remarked as he opened it up and glanced inside.

"It goes with my gift and it'll stop them getting lost," Itachi shrugged, getting up again. "Sound good?"

Sasuke shrugged and headed for the till. "If you say so. I'm not wrapping it though, you can do that."

"At least write a tag out."

"For heaven's sake, I don't even like the guy," Sasuke hissed as he shoved money at the clerk irritably. "_You_ write the fucking tag."

"Sure," Itachi replied. "I'll be sure to sign it with love and put lots of kisses on it."

"Asshole. You've got really sarcastic lately."

"Deidara said the same thing," Itachi chuckled as they headed out the shop. "It's the medication messing with my sense of humour I suppose."

"I meant it as a good thing. Deidara probably did, too. Now where, Itachi? Something for Kisame? What _do_ you buy a guy who spends most of his time underwater with the fishes? What did you get him?"

Itachi opened his mouth to reply but stopped, realising he couldn't say without Sasuke perhaps realising his own gift was similar. Besides, he didn't even know what Deidara was going to paint. "I can't say."

"Why not?" Sasuke asked curiously, eyes narrowed.

"I just can't."

"How on earth does whatever you got him relate to what you've got for me? That's the only reason I could see for secrecy."

"Drop it Sasuke," Itachi pleaded.

"You're no help!" Sasuke snapped at him, glaring as they walked. "I have no idea and I refuse to walk around here in the cold with all these crowds trying to find something. Can't I just look online and order-"

Itachi had stopped abruptly, Sasuke realising and doing the same. He followed Itachi's gaze, realising the reason for the slight smile creeping up on his brother's face immediately. They were standing next to the card shop Itachi had been in the previous day, but the window display had been changed. Today, the star of the display was a rather large collection of cuddly sea life.

Sasuke had shot inside already, leaving Itachi to catch up with him at the inside display.

"Perfect," Sasuke remarked with a grin as he lifted a stuffed octopus out of large container of toys. "Is there a shark? He likes sharks, right?"

"Maybe," Itachi replied, helping him shift through the fishes and starfish to finally locate a blue shark near the bottom. He held it out, leaving Sasuke to take it triumphantly and head for the till.

"That was easy. It's like they knew we were coming."

"They didn't have those yesterday," Itachi told him, feeling slightly put out. He watched Sasuke pay for the toy, thinking back to his own cuddly shark, won by Deidara at the arcade. It had pride of place on his bedside table- occasionally he even snuck it into the bed. It was soft and cuddly! He refused to feel bad for that!

As a second thought, Itachi backtracked and paid for the octopus as well. It was unique and he couldn't pass it up, giving it to Sasuke to add to the shark.

"All done?" Sasuke asked once they were standing in the middle of the shopping centre with no apparent direction to go.

"Seems so," Itachi agreed. "Did you fancy getting lunch or something?"

"Sure," Sasuke smiled. "Why not?"

-.-.-

Itachi returned home to find art supplies spread across the living room and Deidara yelling at him to get out before he'd even opened the door fully, causing Itachi to swiftly close it and once again retreat to the bedroom. Sasuke had kept his word about not wanting to wrap the gifts he had chosen, but he did at least let Itachi buy tags when he paid for the octopus and agreed to write them out in the car.

At least he now had something to do while in exile. He busied himself with the tartan paper he had bought, admiring it as he neatly cut perfect lengths of it off, only to find he didn't have sellotape. He searched his desk, finally finding some in a drawer, wondering if Deidara would yell at him if he attempted to get coffee. It had been _cold_ outside, after all.

He decided not to risk it, wrapping Sasuke's gifts for him and adding the usual bow and curled ribbon. He checked over the gift tags to make sure Sasuke hadn't been unnecessarily inflammatory on them, pleased to find he hadn't. He'd even scribbled a 'Merry Christmas' message on each one, much to Itachi's surprise. He fixed them to the gifts and set them on his desk out the way, pleased. He'd put them under the tree when he wasn't banished from the room it was in.

Next was his gift to Deidara. He wrapped the markers with equal perfection, writing a nice but not too sappy message on the tag before attaching it with the curled ribbon, adding a slightly larger and frillier bow and putting it with the others.

Realising he didn't have much else he could do he set about studying. He'd been assigned plenty of work for the Christmas period- he'd already cleared a huge chunk of it on the first few days off before Deidara had flat out told him to spend a few days _not_ working.

He absorbed himself in his studies, glancing up in shock as the bedroom door flung open an hour or so later and Deidara appeared with a grin on his face.

"Another one complete," he remarked, his fingers and face covered in paint. "I enjoyed that one, yeah. Do you have any family photographs anywhere, and no you can't ask why."

"I do," Itachi shrugged, turning back to his work and trying to ignore Deidara's paint covered hand smearing the residue on his white door. "Don't you dare deface them if I tell you where to look."

"I had no intentions of doing so."

"Then there's a box in the built-in cupboard behind me with that kind of thing in it. Be careful and wash your hands before you even think of going anywhere near it."

Deidara slipped off to do so, leaving Itachi to quickly clean the door. He hadn't been able to ignore it, the paint taunting him as he tried to work. Deidara laughed at him as he came back, heading for the aforementioned cupboard.

"There a lot of boxes in here," he remarked. "Which one?"

"The one labelled 'photographs' I would imagine."

"You and your sarcasm again," Deidara lamented as he shifted through the boxes. "What colour is the box? How big is it? Those kinds of things would be helpful, yeah."

Itachi pushed him aside and pulled a small white box from one side, handing it to him. Written on it in Itachi's neat handwriting were the words 'photographs and childhood'. Deidara grinned and set himself down on the bed, opening it carefully. Itachi, unable to leave him unattended to work, sat next to him.

It had been a long time since he'd seen the contents of the box. He'd shut them away in the cupboard the day he moved in, and hadn't looked at them since. He had to smile a little as Deidara pulled out a photo of him and Sasuke, sitting side by side on a beach. Sasuke was a child, three or four, and happily building a sandcastle while Itachi watched him with a small smile on his young face.

"Is that the beach we went to?" Deidara asked quietly.

"That's the one. We used to go there a lot."

"You guys were pretty cute kids. Even Sasuke, yeah."

"I'm sure he'll be thrilled you've been looking at his baby photos," Itachi remarked with a sigh. "What are you looking for?"

"I can't tell you that. Aw, did you draw these?"

He picked up some pieces of paper with bad childish drawings on them. One was of a calico cat, which made Itachi chuckle and take it from Deidara.

"This is Mitzy," he said. "Our childhood cat. Sasuke was allergic when he was born so we had to re-home her. I must have been four or five when I drew this."

"It looks it," Deidara said cheekily. "Get on with your work, I don't want you hanging over my shoulder and looking at what I'm doing, yeah."

Itachi reluctantly let him continue to look alone, too distracted to work now. Instead he just stared at the paper in front of him until Deidara exited the room with some photographs in hand. Itachi immediately got up and took out the box his boyfriend had been kind enough to put away, leafing through it. They had spurred nostalgia in him, and he wanted to keep that flame alive.

By the time Deidara slipped back into the room a couple of hours later Itachi was feeling rather emotionally drained. He'd shifted from nostalgia to sadness that it had taken so long to sort things out with his family, to anger at himself for letting his issues go on so long, to frustration at the whole situation right back to sadness again before he'd given up and shoved the box back in the cupboard. He was curled up under the cover, sitting up with his back against the headboard and his knees to his chest, thinking.

"Everything alright?" Deidara asked tentatively from the doorway, keeping his paint covered hands to himself this time.

"Yeah," Itachi sighed, giving him a sidelong glance. "I should know better than to drag up old memories, that's all. Are you done now?"

"I'm done," Deidara confirmed. "For now. It's getting late- did you want me to cook dinner?"

"I can manage now I'm allowed back in that part of the house," Itachi teased, giving him a smile to show he didn't mean it. Besides, without a recipe Deidara's cooking was atrocious.

"The canvas is hidden in the bathroom out the way, yeah. It's not finished yet, I'm going to work on it tomorrow."

Itachi eyed him sceptically. "You can't keep it there and expect to banish me from it, that's ridiculous. Why did you put it there?"

"I couldn't think of where else to put it!" Deidara argued. "It's still wet! I couldn't bring it in here, I couldn't leave it in the living room, the kitchen wasn't suitable because I knew you'd want dinner- where else was I going to hide it?"

"Somewhere I'm _not_ likely to see it?"

"Tell me where, then!" Deidara huffed, folding his arms and glaring.

"Why don't you bring it in here and we'll take the duvet and sleep in the living room?" Itachi suggested. "I'd say I'll sleep alone in there but that seems a little over the top."

He wanted to remark that the whole idea of having a small canvas painting take up an entire room was over the top, but his bit his tongue. Deidara however seemed thrilled, grinning and nodding his agreement.

"We can put the Christmas tree lights on to sleep with," he suggested. "It'll be romantic! Okay, go back in the living room and I'll bring it in here, yeah."

Itachi dragged the duvet and pillows out and threw them on the living room floor, eyeing them for a moment before simply throwing himself down onto them with a sigh. Christmas time, he told himself, was _always_ far too much trouble than it was worth.

-.-.-

The following day Itachi woke up feeling stiff and uncomfortable, despite the fluffy duvet they'd slept on. He dragged himself off the floor to the sofa and massaged his sore neck, realising Deidara wasn't in the room. He decided not to pursue it, getting himself coffee first just in case his boyfriend decided to waltz in and banish him once more.

He was just finishing it and his toast when Deidara reappeared, grinning and giving him a small wave.

"I decided to take over the bedroom today," he remarked. "That's more convenient than this room, right?"

"It's appreciated," Itachi replied. "How many do you have left to go?"

"I'm about to start the last one now, yeah."

Itachi blinked in surprise. "Really? What time did you get up?"

"I didn't sleep much. I wanted to get these out the way so you wouldn't worry. Besides, it's been fun- it's been a while since I was able to paint like this, yeah. Everything for college is based on a syllabus so it has to be within a certain subject matter."

With those words he vanished once more, leaving Itachi to stare at the now-closed door with a small smile on his face. At least he now had access to the kitchen, bookshelf and the television, giving him _something_ to do. He couldn't study, but that was probably a good thing.

He selected a book from the shelf and settled on the sofa to read it, curling up with the duvet around him. He rarely had lazy days but that day he decided to take one, at least until Deidara was done with his painting. He was quite looking forward to seeing what he had come up with, too. The tiny part of his mind that had set alarm bells ringing at the prospect of his boyfriend painting for his loved ones also needed to be silenced by seeing for himself that Deidara was, indeed, capable of behaving like an adult.

It was close to midday when Deidara finally emerged, looking triumphant. "Itachi," he called as he opened the door. "I'm done!"

Itachi looked up from the book he was still enthralled in, having not moved since he'd picked it up that morning. It was one that had been sitting on his bookshelf for a long while that he'd been meaning to read, and he'd been sucked right into it.

"Done?" He echoed, finally setting it aside. "Can I see?"

Deidara nodded, putting a finger up to indicate that he should wait there as he left the room once more. Itachi waited expectantly, seeing him return with two of the smaller canvasses first.

"This one is for Naruto," he said, handing it over. Itachi studied it, eyes widening at how impressive it was. Deidara had used acrylic paint to draw a nine tailed fox, much like the one Deidara had won from the crane machine but intensely fiercer, surrounded by trees and radiating evil.

"He's going to love it," Itachi nodded, a smile on his face. Deidara had always displayed that he was good at art but he'd never been a conventional artist, favouring more abstract ways of expressing himself unless it was a rough sketch in his sketchbook.

Deidara beamed and handed over the second small canvas, disappearing to presumably get the others. Itachi was left with a beautifully drawn and watercolour shaded shark, grinning with realisation that it was for Kisame.

"You said once he liked sharks," Deidara said as he re-entered once more, only the other smaller canvas in hand. "Your parent's one is still wet, I'll bring it through in a minute. Here."

Itachi set aside the shark to take Sasuke's canvas, feeling a small amount of trepidation as he did so. He glanced at it and all his worries melted away, confronted with a superb acrylic painted Skyline car. It was a car Fugaku had agreed to buy if Sasuke passed his driving test the first time, since he was such an awful learner driver. Fugaku didn't expect him to do so but Itachi wasn't so sure- Sasuke had done nothing but rave about the idea of owning the car for a week when their father had first agreed to it, so he wouldn't put it past his brother to brush up and make _sure_ he passed his test.

"He wouldn't shut up about the car, yeah. I made it a little abstract- I hope that's okay."

"It's fine," Itachi nodded, noting the wheels were exaggerated to give the car a slighter meaner look. "It's more Sasuke's style this way, anyway."

Deidara had already gone to fetch the last canvas, carrying it to the table and setting it down carefully when he returned.

"Don't touch it," he said quietly. "I really hope you like this one, Itachi."

Itachi got up and headed over to it, glancing down and feeling a gasp escape his throat. Since the canvas was bigger Deidara had been able to make it more detailed, and he had clearly done so.

A beautiful sky and a sunny day greeted him, a picnic spread across lush green grass with four figures sitting on a red and white chequered blanket. Mikoto and Fugaku were seated together on it, smiling and looking at their two sons. Sasuke was younger than he was now and chasing a butterfly while Itachi, also looking younger with slightly shorter hair and a more youthful appearance, stood near him with lightly folded arms and a smile on his face.

"I needed reference for what your parents looked like because I couldn't remember well enough, then I realised I had to make you guys younger since I had photos for it," Deidara was explaining, but Itachi was barely listening. He still had his eyes glued to the wonderful canvas in front of him. "It's a sign that you're all going to be closer now, yeah. Do you think they'll like it?"

"They'll love it," Itachi nodded, finding his voice and swallowing past the sudden dryness in his throat. "It's beautiful."

"This is the one I got up early to finish," Deidara explained. "I was too tired last night and I just had to stop, but I wanted it done. When it's dry you can wrap it- the others are already good to go."

"I will," Itachi replied. "Deidara- thank you so much for doing this."

"I enjoyed it," Deidara shrugged, but he took the thankful hug from Itachi without complaint along with the grateful kiss. "Now go on, wrap them so we can put them under the tree. It's looking a bit plain under there- you might want to move those ones on your desk too, yeah."

"I hope you didn't touch those," Itachi warned as he gathered up the smaller canvasses.

"No," Deidara replied, suddenly looking excited. "They were for me?"

"Two of them. I'll bring them in if you promise not to touch."

"Touching presents is the most fun part!" Deidara pouted, but Itachi's stern look soon had him sigh and nod in agreement. "Fine, I'll just look then."

Itachi nodded in satisfaction, heading into the bedroom and admiring each painting once more. Deidara had really outdone himself, and he felt suddenly guilty for not believing in him right from the start.

As he reached for his roll of tartan paper he stopped and frowned, realising the edge had been cut off in a rather jagged, unclean manner. He knew he hadn't done it, since he always cut cleanly in straight lines against the paper's design, frowning slightly in confusion. It had to be Deidara, but why?

"Why did you cut some of my wrapping paper off?" He asked when Deidara appeared in the doorway moments later.

"Oh- I needed some paper for dabbing my brushes on," Deidara explained, looking a little sheepish. "Sorry. I saw it right there and just grabbed it, yeah."

Itachi opened the second drawer on his desk, unimpressed. "There was plenty of paper in here."

"I only took a little bit! You're just pissed I didn't cut it straight."

Itachi didn't respond, not wishing to say his partner was right. Instead he tidied up the edge on the paper and cut a perfect strip off, wondering whether he needed to wrap the canvasses in bubble wrap first for safety. Behind him Deidara murmured something about putting the bigger canvas near the window to dry, leaving before Itachi could warn him about not opening the window on bitterly cold winter days and letting all the heat in the house out.

-.-.-

_Author's Note: I'll get the next part up on Christmas Eve, most likely. I'm still working on it. Thanks for reading! :)_


	3. A Different Kind of Christmas

**3.**

Christmas morning rarely felt so exciting. The last time Itachi had been so hyped for such an event was when he was a child, creeping through the house with Sasuke at his side to venture down the stairs and see if Santa had arrived to leave gifts, and whether he had eaten the homemade mince pies their mother cooked.

This time he was buzzing, mostly because he wanted to see Deidara's face light up when he opened the markers. That, and the idea of going to see the family was for once a welcome one.

He didn't complain when Deidara woke him at five in the morning, gladly getting up and fixing them both pancakes for breakfast while Deidara showered. He arrived back with dripping wet hair and a smile on his face, looking delighted at the unusually fancy breakfast.

"You have to open this when you're done," Itachi told him as he retrieved the present from under the tree and setting it on the table. "It's from me. There's a gift for you from Sasuke, too."

"There is?" Deidara remarked, eyes widening in surprise as Itachi sat down to join him for the breakfast. "Did he chose it or did you and force him to buy it?"

"It was a mutual thing," Itachi told him with a smile, even though in reality it was more the latter.

They finished their breakfast quickly, leaving Itachi to push the beautifully wrapped gift across the table to his partner. Deidara eyed it curiously as he picked it up, tearing into the paper and nearly dropping the markers in surprise.

"Copic markers?" He whispered, tearing at the rest of the paper to rid the gift of it. "Itachi- are you serious? _Copic_ markers?"

"You were looking at them, weren't you?" Itachi shrugged. "I knew from the price tag you couldn't have owned any."

"Even if I _did_ I'd never afford to replace them," Deidara continued, his voice still low and his eyes still widened. "And this is the largest set they do! Itachi- I love you! I- I don't know what to _say-_"

He cut himself off, putting the markers down and jumping up. He practically ran round the table and flung his arms around Itachi, hugging him tightly and taking the Uchiha's breath away.

"_thankyou_!"

"It's okay," Itachi laughed, lightly pushing him off to loosen his grip. "I'm glad you like them. Why don't you get the one from Sasuke now?"

Deidara looked intrigued and did so, opening it and grinning in delight. "You told him you'd bought these and suggested the case?"

"Something like that."

"I'll have to make a cinnamon cake before we go to your parents to thank him," Deidara mused.

"He doesn't like cinnamon cake, remember? He just makes it for me because I do."

"Oh. What _does_ he like?"

"Nothing we can make with what with have," Itachi told him quickly, not wishing to sound rude by suggesting that giving Sasuke food poisoning for Christmas wasn't the nicest idea, which was all that would happen if Deidara was left in the kitchen without step by step instructions on what to do.

Itachi left Deidara to test out his new markers while he showered and dressed, picking out smarter clothes than normal. He knew his parents would dress up for Christmas since they always did, and they definitely would when there would be a guest coming. He chose a smart red shirt and black jeans- not too smart, but not too casual.

He had a hard time dragging Deidara away from his sketchbook and markers, finally convincing him to carry the gifts to the car while he locked the house. Naruto's one stayed under the tree alone and would do until he came back from visiting family out of town- Kisame's were now gone, taken with him unwrapped the previous night. He'd been very pleased with new cuddly creatures, asking Itachi to thank Sasuke for him in case he didn't get to see him.

When he had opened the painting he had gone quiet, glancing up in surprise and giving Deidara and Itachi a sincere thank you before hugging them both and admiring the colours of the shark for at least half an hour. Both of them had branded that a successful gift when he wouldn't stop talking about shades of blue and asking Deidara to see the ones he had used. That had got Deidara on a discussion about his Aquatone pencils, which Kisame seemed to tune out on once they stopped discussing his favourite colour.

They stopped to pick up Sasuke, who was also dressed smartly. He'd gone with a blue shirt and dark navy jeans, giving a civil nod to Deidara as he got in the backseat and a wave to Itachi.

"It's too early in the morning," he complained.

"It's six am," Itachi remarked. "That isn't _that_ early."

"Says the guy who used to hate getting up in the morning without his eight hours of beauty sleep. Why are we leaving so early anyway?"

"To surprise Mum and Dad. They won't be expecting us just yet."

"They might not even be _awake_." Itachi didn't even answer that, leaving Sasuke to sigh and correct himself. "Or they will be, like always. You early risers confuse me."

The wrapped canvasses were on the seat next to Sasuke. He cast a curious glance to them but said nothing, setting his own bag of gifts down next to them. Itachi caught him slowly reaching a finger to one of the tags, seemingly intent on reading what was inside it.

"Hands off," he instructed, causing Sasuke to jump and look sheepish. Itachi didn't say anything more about it- deep down he knew his younger brother was only just an adult, and still had a child's attachment to Christmas gifts.

Fugaku opened the door to them with only a hint of surprise before standing aside to let them in, giving Itachi a clap on the shoulder and hesitating a moment before giving one to Sasuke. He and Sasuke had finally begun to patch things up a little- all the younger Uchiha had needed was some time to get used to the idea of existing within a functional family unit, complete with _two_ parents that cared.

"Your mother will be down shortly," he remarked, turning his attention to Deidara and holding out a hand. "Good morning, boy. Lovely day today, isn't it?"

Deidara didn't think the day was lovely, especially not judging by how much he'd complained about the cold when they'd stepped out the car, but he took Fugaku's hand and shook it politely and nodded in agreement anyway.

They dropped their hands to their sides, the small talk pleasantries over with, before Fugaku led them into the living room. A tall Christmas tree stood at one side of the room, decorated in red and gold and looking like something that would be in a shop display. One glance around the room told Deidara where Itachi got his show-home tendencies from.

There were wrapped gifts beneath the three, decorated with bows and ribbons of varying colours- all matching too, another trait Deidara presumed Itachi had picked up from whatever parent had wrapped them. He sat nervously sat on the edge of the leather sofa, feeling awkward and out of place.

"At least take your coat off," Itachi told him, holding his hand out for it with a sigh. "You don't need to look so nervous. Let me show you around."

He led Deidara out into the hall, keeping a firm hold of his hand despite Deidara attempting to pull away when Mikoto made her way down the stairs nearby.

"Hi Mum," Itachi waved, giving him a small smile. "You look nice."

"You look nice too dear," Mikoto complimented, smiling prettily and smoothing down the front of her party dress. It shaped her figure well, strapless and just above her knees in length. It was pale blue in hue and looked like silk, a blue ribbon around the waist tied loosely at the side.

Deidara gave her a small wave as well. "Hello Mrs. Uchiha."

"Deidara," Mikoto replied, giving him an equally bright smile. "It's a pleasure to have you today."

She headed past them into the living room, where they heard Sasuke greet her enthusiastically. Itachi led Deidara up the stairs and to his old bedroom, pushing open the door and indicating inside.

"Here's where I grew up," he remarked. "I practically lived in this room."

Deidara nodded, looking a little overwhelmed by everything that was going on. Itachi sensed it and gave him a kind smile, giving him a light kiss and curling his arms around his neck in an embrace.

"Relax," he whispered. "It's going to be a nice day."

"I know," Deidara whispered back. "I don't remember the last time I had a _nice_ Christmas day, though."

Itachi felt as though he had been struck with a knife, feeling a pang of sympathy for his partner. He tightened his arms around him, brushing his lips against his neck softly.

"This year is different," he said firmly. "And it's going to be different from now on. Forgot those times- look forward to now."

"I am," Deidara replied as they broke apart, a smile once again on his face. "It's just going to take some getting used to."

Itachi led him back down the stairs and gave him a brief tour of the ground floor of the house, finally leading them back into the living room where both parents and Sasuke were sitting chatting. Itachi was impressed by how comfortable Sasuke looked with the situation too, but he was sitting next to their mother.

"Can I give you these now?" He asked as he headed to the table, where the gifts had been laid as they'd come in. He beckoned for Deidara to sit, which he did so- on the other side of Sasuke no less, though Itachi presumed he felt most comfortable sitting near his sibling than his father. He had to fight down a smirk at the thought of Deidara willingly seating himself with Sasuke, though.

"If you wish, son," Fugaku nodded. Itachi smiled and handed Sasuke his one first, waiting for him to open it. Sasuke looked curious and did so, making quick work of Itachi's beautiful wrapping. His eyes widened slightly as he realised it was a painting, turning his attention to Deidara.

"You did this?" He asked.

"I did," Deidara nodded. "Do you like it?"

"It's nice," Sasuke agreed, which both Deidara and Itachi knew in Uchiha Sasuke terms was a high compliment. "Thank you."

Itachi left him admiring it with masked delight, picking up the second gift and glancing between his parents.

"Who wants to open it?" He asked, glancing between them. His mother eventually held her hand up so Itachi walked to her, gently laying it in her lap. Mikoto gave him a smile as he knelt down on the floor in front of her, gingerly tearing into the pretty tartan paper. Fugaku got up and hovered over Itachi's shoulder, clearly curious about what it was.

"Oh, Itachi," Mikoto murmured as she laid eyes on the painting. "It's beautiful."

She laid a hand to the likeness of herself on the canvas, running her long fingers across it gently while Fugaku looked visibly impressed. He glanced at Deidara, who was looking as though he wanted the sofa or the floor or perhaps the walls to swallow him whole.

"Why do you look so frightened, boy?" Fugaku asked. "It's lovely. I'll have it hung right here in the living room this very afternoon."

"It's beautiful," Mikoto said once more, eyes shining with happy tears as he met Itachi's gaze. "It means a lot that you would be happy to give us something like this."

"The past is the past," Itachi said firmly, for the second time that day. "Let it go and look forward to the future."

"Inspirational words," Fugaku nodded in agreement as he took his seat once more, leaving Mikoto to continue admiring the canvas with Sasuke glancing over his shoulder in curiosity.

"Itachi, can I borrow your car keys?" Deidara asked quietly.

"Why?" Itachi asked immediately, frowning in confusion.

Deidara gave him a wink and a smile. "Just hand them over, yeah."

Itachi did so, realisation dawning on him that it was quite possible Deidara's excuse about using his wrapping paper for his brushes was a small white lie. The grin and gift wrapped parcel Deidara returned with only reinforced his belief, unsurprised when his boyfriend handed it to him shyly.

"I wanted to give you it earlier but I thought it would be nicer to let you open yours when your family did," he explained as Itachi smiled at gift. It was wrapped beautifully- Deidara had even made his own bow from a section of the tartan paper. It blew Itachi's own perfectly wrapped presents out of the water but Itachi didn't expect any less, nor did he care. Deidara was the artist, after all.

"Open it," Deidara urged lightly. Itachi glanced around, noticing his family all had their eyes on him, also intrigued. He tore the paper off, fingers connecting with canvas as he did so. He hastily tore at it quicker, pushing it aside to be confronted with a portrait that took his breath away.

Deidara had painted them both together in lavish watercolours. They were standing side by side- Deidara was making a peace sign over Itachi's head with a grin on his face. Itachi was standing with his arms folded, looking unimpressed but on the corner of his lips was an imperceptible smile. Itachi couldn't imagine a painting that described them any better than the one right in front of him.

"Deidara," he breathed. "This is amazing. Did you do this at the same time as the others?"

"Mm," Deidara nodded, looking proud. "I did it first, actually. I'm glad you like it."

"I love it," Itachi whispered, still unable to take his eyes off of it. He traced the lines of the portrait Deidara, noticing the blue of the painting's eyes and golden shine of his hair- the colours were absolutely perfect. He felt his breath hitch slightly and his vision blur, shocking him into finally looking up at Deidara before he cried all over the painting.

"You sappy jerk," Sasuke said, but his tone was good natured. He got up and left regardless, followed by Mikoto and Fugaku. Apparently they could all sense a romantic moment when one existed.

"You idiot," Itachi chided. He ran a shaky hand across his eyes, giving Deidara both a smile and a glare. "You could have given it to me alone so you didn't make me cry in front of my family."

"It shows you care," Deidara soothed as he gathered Itachi up in a hug. "Merry Christmas, Itachi."

"And to you, Deidara," Itachi whispered, burying his head in his boyfriend's neck. "Thank you. I'll hang it up as soon as we get home."

"Where are you going to put it?"

Itachi thought for a moment about that, unable to pick between the living room and the bedroom. "The living room," he finally decided on. "It'll make it clear to anyone who happens to visit that it's _our_ place."

"Your brother's right- you _are_ sappy," Deidara laughed as he broke the hug. "I appreciate that, yeah. I'm quite proud of it. It took me ages to get the colours mixed right."

"It's perfect," Itachi agreed.

"Ah ah," Deidara scolded, holding a finger up disapprovingly. "We don't use that word anymore. Remember what your therapist said? 'Perfection is impossible'. I can see the mistakes on it from here, yeah."

"Mistakes? Are you kidding? I don't see a thing wrong with it!"

"That's because we creative people always critique our own work with the highest standards," Deidara explained. "To myself or another artist, they'll see the mistakes. To you, it's fine, but that doesn't _make_ it fine."

"Deidara?" Itachi murmured. "Be quiet. It's just fine. I love you, and if you call me sappy for saying it I'm going to make you sleep on the sofa."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Deidara hummed innocently. "I love you too, Itachi."

Itachi glanced towards the door, seeing Sasuke hovering uncertainly. He beckoned, giving him a smile.

"It's okay, the moment's over," he remarked. Sasuke took that as a good reason to re-enter the room, glancing at the portrait on the sofa next to Itachi with narrowed, vaguely critical eyes.

"There's just one thing wrong with this," he mused.

"Oh?" Itachi asked as Deidara bristled. Apparently only _he_ was allowed to say it had mistakes- or perhaps it was just Sasuke criticising rubbed him the wrong way.

"It has Deidara in it," Sasuke finished, a smirk on his face. "I can't call a portrait with that idiot in it a _nice_ one, can I?"

"You jerk, I'm sitting _right here_! I can hear you!"

"You were supposed to hear me, Blondie."

"Please don't kill each other on Christmas day," Itachi near-begged, putting up his hands to pacify them. "T'is the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la..."

He stopped, realising both Deidara and Sasuke were staring at him like he'd just grown a second head.

"...La?" He finished, giving them both a weak smile.

"Weirdo," Sasuke muttered.

"I have to agree for once," Deidara nodded. "That was rather unlike you, yeah. What's got in to you?"

"Christmas spirit?" Itachi tried.

"Nice try," Sasuke snickered. "Something tells me you're actually _enjoying _the festive season for once."

"Maybe I am," Itachi relented with a sigh. And in truth, he was. Christmas really couldn't have been any more perfect. He allowed himself to think the now-forbidden word, smiling as he did so. No matter how many times Deidara or his therapist reminded him nothing was perfect, right then he really did disagree with that sentiment.

-.-.-

_Author's Note: Happy Christmas to you all! I hope you all have a lovely time! :)_

_There is a possibility of a third Path fic. I have ideas, but I won't be writing it until my SasuNaru is finished if it happens. I'm not promising anything, but these guys just won't leave me alone! Though I will take a slightly different turn with it, since the main issues of the first two have been cleared up. Keep an eye on my profile or alert me if you're interested! :)_


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